Vacuuming your home no longer needs to be a chore that you dread. You can now look forward to having pristine clean hardwood floors with this list of the best vacuum cleaners. We know that there’s a lot of research that goes into choosing the best hardwood floor vacuum model for your home. That’s why we created a guide that outlines what you should consider when choosing the best vacuum for hardwood floors and also curated a list of the best vacuums for hardwood floors.
The Best Vacuums For Hardwood Floors
1. Shark Navigator Lift-Away Professional (NV356E) - Best Overall
- Dust cup capacity 2.2 quarts; Lift away; Press a button to lift...
- Anti-allergen complete seal technology plus a HEPA filter; Traps...
- Powerful and lightweight; Portable and versatile at 13.7 pounds
- Brush roll shutoff; Deep carpet and gentle bare floor cleaning
- Hard floor hero attachment not included
The Shark Navigator upright vacuum is our top choice for a vacuum for hardwood floors. It weighs14 pounds making lightweight and easy to maneuver.
It has a powerful brush roller that can be shut off with a single touch hence protecting your hardwood floors when you move from a carpeted area. The swivel steering helps move the shark around furniture and tight spaces and the option of removing the top pod means that you can use it on the stairs and furniture as well. It is equipped with anti-allergen technology and HEPA filter that helps tap dust and allergens inside the vacuum. The upright vacuum comes with a 5.5 inch crevice tool, a long reach 24 inch crevice tool and a dusting brush.
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2. Eufy BoostIQ Robotic Vacuum - Best Robot
- Included in the “Best robot vacuums of 2019” by Tom’s...
- All-New RoboVac: Re-engineered to be the slimmest* RoboVac...
- BoostIQ Technology: Automatically increases suction power within...
- A Quiet Clean: Vacuums for up to 100 minutes** on hardwood floors...
- Premium Features: Anti-scratch tempered glass-top cover for...
The Eufy BoostIQ is the best robot vacuum for those who are trying to save time or don’t enjoy cleaning.
The robot vacuum is remarkably quiet and has a strong suction power of 1300 Pa. It features an impressive battery with 100 minutes of running time. It has a climbing threshold of 0.63 inches allowing it to maneuver up and down small objects.
The vacuum uses three filters including an extra high performance filter that ensures that the floors are properly cleaned. The remote control comes with the needed batteries and allows for a variety of functions. It is covered with a protective glass to avoid damage and scratches.
It is energy efficient and is able to adjust the power as needed. It uses sensors to detect if it is approaching high traffic areas or carpeted flooring. This allows it to catch dust and debris. The robot has a height of 2.85 inches making it slim enough to squeeze under a lot of furniture.
You can choose between four different modes and can also pre set a vacuum time. It uses its infrared sensors to vacuum the designated floors and will detect objects and drop-offs. It will also avoid obstacles.
It has a dust box of 0.63 quarts which is quite large for a robot vacuum but compared to other types of vacuums the container is small. This would mean if cleaning a larger room, the box would need to be emptied often.
It also comes with a year warranty.
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3. Dyson Cyclone V10 Absolute Cordless Stick Vacuum - Best Cordless
- Up to 60 minutes run time when using a non-motorized tool....
- Dyson technology helps create a cleaner, healthier home - Our...
- Lightweight and versatile, to clean right through the home....
- Up to 40 minutes of fade-free power with the soft Roller cleaner...
- Torque drive cleaner head – Up to 20 minutes of fade-free power...
The Dyson Cyclone V10 cordless stick vacuum combines superior suction and soft roller head that is meant to clean bare floors at a moments notice.
This stick vacuum cleaner has an instant release trigger that cuts battery power the moment you stop using the machine hence making it energy efficient. It uses 14 concentric cyclones and transforms instantly into a handheld vacuum for use on furniture or anywhere you need to remove dust and fine debris.
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4. Eureka RapidClean Pro Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- Efficient Cordless Cleaning: Powered by the latest motor...
- 40 Minutes Long Lasting Runtime: Up to 40 min of fade-free...
- Easy Rest Feature: Need to take a break. The specially designed...
- Under Furniture Reach: We moved the dust cup to the front so you...
- LED Headlights: Bright beams light the way so you can see dust...
The Eureka Rapidclean Pro is a cordless vacuum cleaner that is ideal for both hardwood floors and carpets. It is an easy to use and maneuver device as it is versatile in terms of how it can be used. It can be laid down flat allowing you to clean below large pieces of furniture without necessarily having to move them.
It also has a handy built in resting nook under the handle so in between cleaning you can rest the vacuum on a counter without the fear of it falling over. The vacuum can run for 40 to 45 minutes and it is very lightweight. It is ideal for those with pets as it can capture their pet hair and dander. It comes with LED lights that allows you to see dust and debris that you might have otherwise missed.
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5. Miele Compact C1 Canister Vacuum
- POWERFUL & LIGHTWEIGHT: Bagged canister vacuum cleaner ideal for...
- STRONG SUCTION POWER: Switch between 6 suction power settings...
- MAXIMUM MANEUVERABILITY: Vacuum easily around and underneath...
- AIRCLEAN SYSTEM: Miele's unique 3-tiered filtration system...
- INCLUDED ACCESSORIES: SBD 365-3 Combination Floorhead, Dusting...
The Miele Compact C1 Canister Vacuum has a sealed filter system that ensures that once the dust and dirt has been collected it cannot be released till the 3.5 liter dust bag is replaced. The replacement process is quite easy and doesn’t expose you to any allergens which is great for those who are prone and suffer from allergies. The vacuum comes with a floorhead designed with hardwood floors in mind. Its rubberized wheels are designed to ensure that you floor does not suffer any scratches while the metal plate helps it glide across the floors surface hence enabling powerful suction. The vacuum has six different suction settings depending on the location and severity. It comes with an accompanying dust brush, upholstery tool and crevice tool.
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What to Consider When Choosing the Best Vacuum for Hardwood Floors
a) Type
There are different types of hardwood floor vacuums and they each have their pros and cons.
i) Stick Vacuums
Stick vacuums are ideal for cleaning hardwood floors. They tend to be lightweight and easy to move around. They often have a lower suction power but this is not a problem for hardwood floors. They are easy to store. Most stick vacuums are power operated however there are some that are cordless.
The downside is that most stick vacuums don’t come with attachments
ii) Handheld Vacuums
They are ideal for touch ups or simply as back up devices. They are however not suitable for large surfaces. Handheld vacuums are light and often tend to be cordless.
iii) Canister Vacuum Cleaner
Canister vacuums are made of two separate components: The wand and cylindrical engine. They are connected with a flexible hose, allowing you to reach tighter spaces.
They usually come with smaller attachments to clean areas such as under the furniture or the couch.
iv) Upright Vacuums
An upright vacuum cleaner is ideal if you’re looking for a multi-purpose vacuum that can clean both hardwood floors and carpets. They provide strong power which is not necessary for a hardwood floor and actually poses a risk of damaging the floor. If you do decide to purchase one, ensure that the brushes can be turned off. They do have a larger footprint hence they won’t be able to clean the smaller spaces.
v) Robot Vacuums
These are the latest trendy high tech devices that act as your cleaning assistant. They can even be programmed remotely. All you need to do, is let your robot know what and where to clean and they’ll do it for you. When picking this model, ensure that the bristles are soft so as to not damage the wood floors.
vi) Steam Vacuums
Steam vacuum cleaners are ideal if you’re looking for a machine that removes more than the visible dirt. They use steam to remove stains and kill any germs or bacteria found on the floor. The heat leaves little to no moisture behind hence your floors won’t be damaged.
b) Corded vs Cordless
Cordless vacuums work best for areas that have a lot of floor space. All you need to do is put the vacuum on the charger and use it when needed. Many vacuums offer at least 30 minutes of run time per charge. The lack of a cord means a much higher level of maneuverability however it might mean more weight because of the battery.
For those that don’t necessarily want the hassle of batteries, there’s the option of corded vacuums. With corded vacuums you don’t have to worry about issues such as replacing batteries but you do sacrifice the ease of maneuvering as you have to plug the cord into different outlets along the way so as to get full coverage for your floors.
The length of the cord is often undervalued and over looked. If opting for a cordless device, ensure that the power cord is at least 25 feet long. This should be enough to vacuum a large floor space before changing the plug. Cord rewind systems can be convenient when putting the vacuum away.
c) Filtration
Filtration is key for those who suffer from allergies and other forms of ailments that are aggravated by dust and fine particles. There are two levels of filtration. The first level is either a dust bag or dust bin. Dust bags are convenient as they can simply be pulled out of the vacuum and thrown into the garbage. If you suffer from allergies, these are ideal as they won’t let dust and dirt fly around. Dust bins are more eco-friendly and cost effective. The bin is usually easy to empty and doesn’t require any additional expense.
The second level of filtration can be placed close to the air exit point. These filters are known as HEPA filters. They catch tiny dust and allergens that are not trapped by the first level of filtration. Selecting a device with a HEPA filter means that up to 99.99 percent of the air particles going through the filter should be cleared. Some models add a sealant to ensure that no air escapes in the process. HEPA filters are more expensive and can be costly to replace however they can be very beneficial to those suffering from any allergies.
d) Suction
Suction is the key element in a vacuum cleaner. You need a vacuum with good suction to pull up all the dirt and leave your hardwood floors feeling and looking sparkling clean. When it comes to suction, you have to be careful. If it’s too strong, your vacuum may end up scuffing and scratching your hardwood floor. The aim is get a vacuum that has a suction that is strong enough to clean your floor but not too strong that the floor will end up getting scratched after a few cleaning sessions.
e) Size
When it comes to size, the bigger the vacuum, the bigger its dust container. When the dust container is big, it means that you don’t have to empty it out as much which makes it quite convenient. However, if the vacuum cleaner is too big, it will be bulky and quite irritating to use and maneuver especially when you need to clean those hard to reach places like corners and below pieces of furniture.
The aim is find a middle ground. You can always find a vacuum cleaner that is big enough to save you the time and effort of constantly emptying but is still small enough to maneuver and use. One such vacuum cleaner is a canister vacuum cleaner. It allows you to have the best of both worlds as it can clean the corners and crevices while still allowing you to enjoy having a large dust tank that can go for weeks without emptying.
f) Noise
Cleaning should be an enjoyable activity and it can be a great opportunity to pump up some music, catch up on that podcast or maybe even listen to a book. There are some vacuum models that do guarantee some level of silence even though it is hard to find any model that is completely silent. However, the aim is to find one that allows you to talk over the noise and is reasonably quiet. The best vacuums come with sound-reducing interior padding. If you have young children or sensitive neighbors, this might be costly but an important feature to keep in mind.
g) Attachments
The attachments you want will depend on your home and what you need on a regular basis. There are standard attachments such as crevice tools and dust brushes that can be used on a variety of surfaces in the home. Small beater brushes can work well on upholstery. If you have pets, you might want a vacuum that includes a tool that can handle pet hair. There are also tools like telescoping which allow you to reach hard to reach places such as light fixtures.
